The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has moved for the third time the completion target of the P14-billion Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Greenways project to a much later target date by 2027.

This was the third time the project's target completion date was moved. The first completion target was 2022 and the second 2024.

The first phase of the EDSA Greenways project involves building five kilometers of covered elevated pedestrian walkways around four mass transit stations - Balintawak, Cubao, Guadalupe and Taft, along EDSA, a major artery in Metro Manila, to make the cities more walkable and livable.

At present, existing pedestrian facilities on EDSA are poorly designed, uncomfortable, and unsafe.

Hence, the EDSA Greenways elevated walkways will be connected to mass transit stations to help promote the use of public transport as well as walking, as a zero emission mode of mobility for commuters.

Elevators will be attached to the elevated walkways to address the needs of the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, and people traveling with small children.

Originally, the EDSA Greenways Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Report, which Ove Arup and Partners Hong Kong Ltd prepared for the DOTr and project funder, Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2020, covered 5 stations, including the Common Station in Quezon City.

The original proposal was for five stations to be constructed in two phases.

Phase 1 was for short-term work involving only the Common Station – the convergence point of several rail systems.

Phase 2 was for the long-term construction of the five stations, including sections of the Common Station not covered in Phase 1.

However, the DOTr decided to postpone the Common Station scheme from the proposed project until it is completed and the other infrastructure projects have progressed.

Overall implementation timeline per station varies from 18-24 months, including finalization of the designs by contractors.

The ESA Greenways was supposed to start construction in 2021.

Problem was, the project completion date was moved from 2022 to 2024 because the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) only allowed utility relocation works at night, according to the DOTr then.

The original plan called for a 24/7 work schedule.